“I want to take them to the final and win the final as well" - Chirag Yadav aims to win Prime Volleyball League 2024 with Calicut Heroes
Chirag Yadav's volleyball journey is one of those stories that remind us how unexpected life can be. He grew up in a small village in Haryana, never imagining he'd become a professional volleyball player. But fate had other plans.
Chirag's tryst with volleyball wasn't a premeditated one. After completing his 10th-grade exams in 2016, Chirag found himself in Gujarat, where his uncle served in the Border Security Force. During this stint, fate intervened in the form of a trial being conducted in Nadiad. Despite lacking experience, he gave it a shot and got selected in the Nadiad Academy. That moment changed everything.
Starting out as a blocker, Chirag soon found his knack for first pass, receiving, and defense. His coaches noticed and shifted him to an attacker role, which suited him better. Throughout his journey, Chirag's family and friends stood by him. They encouraged him to pursue volleyball, knowing it was his passion.
As destiny would have it, Chirag found himself donning the captain's armband for the Junior Indian volleyball team in 2018. Leading the team came with its pressures; he handled it with grace, understanding the importance of setting a good example.
His path led him to RuPay Prime Volleyball League (PVL) where he is currently representing Calicut Heroes. After missing out on an appearance last year, the 23-year-old attacker has shown promise this season.
After seven games, Chirag has secured 56 attack points at an average of 8.00 and an efficiency of 55.45%. His best performance came against Bengaluru Torpedos, where he secured a total of 17 points, including 14 in attack.
The Heroes currently stand at the top spot in the table with five wins in seven outings and are on the run to lift their first-ever PVL title.
Sportskeeda caught up with Chirag Yadav to know about his journey in volleyball and his experience featuring in the RuPay Prime Volleyball League Season 3.
Here are the excerpts:
Coming from Haryana, it was a proud and challenging moment for Chirag Yadav when he first donned the captain's armband for the Junior Indian volleyball team in 2018. Reflecting on the added responsibility that came with leadership, he revealed:
"Being a captain means you have to handle both the inside and outside of the court. There is a lot of responsibility on the captain to keep the entire team together, to keep them in line, to ensure everyone is doing well, staying together so that there are no issues."
Chirag then found himself donning the jersey of the esteemed Calicut Heroes, where he joined a diverse ensemble of players. However, he missed the previous season, to which Chirag said:
“Actually, what happened was that I was on the team last season, but I couldn't join the camp, nor could I play in the league matches. Last year, some issues came up, so I couldn't even join the league.”
This season, however, Chirag wants to make a big impact on the Heroes and help them clinch the title. With high aspirations, Chirag has set his sights on a triumphant season.
"Right now, in my mind, for this season, it's just that I want to give my best performance and move forward. Calicut Heroes have been losing in the semis for the past two seasons," he admitted. "But I now want to take them to the final and win the final as well."
Reflecting on the discussions with the coach and the senior players, Chirag emphasized the enhanced balance within the squad this season.
"We have a more balanced squad this season as compared to the last two," he noted.
With a mix of experienced Indian players who are familiar with each other's playing styles and the addition of foreign talents like Luis from Brazil, the team boasts a formidable lineup. Luis, with his wealth of experience garnered from playing in various leagues, serves as a valuable asset to the team.
"Luis is from Brazil and has played in a lot of leagues already. He already has the experience, and he explains a lot of things during practice and during the match," Chirag added, highlighting the invaluable contributions of the foreign attacker.
Sharing the dressing room with foreign players has been an enriching experience for Chirag and his teammates. Drawing a comparison between Indian and European volleyball, Chirag acknowledged the superior skills and experience possessed by players from countries like Brazil.
“It's a great experience for us. Indian volleyball is moving forward gradually, but European volleyball is already ahead. Brazil's team is the best in the world. Their skills, experience, and many other things help us, and it feels really good to share the dressing room with them,” expressed Chirag.
During practice sessions, Chirag finds himself engaging in discussions with both senior players and foreigners.
"As we are all national players, we meet quite often during events like the National Games and the Federation Cup," he explained.
Speaking fondly of his friendship with Luis, Chirag highlighted the invaluable support received from his fellow attacker.
“He's from my position. We both are attackers. So, if there's something I'm lacking in, he's right there. So, he helps me a lot with that thing, like how to handle it slowly and improve it,” added Chirag.
For Chirag, the ultimate personal goal is simple yet profound: to deliver his best performance in every match.
"My only personal goal is to give my best performance to my team in every match. I want to help Calicut Heroes win at any cost. I want to ensure that I win some or the other awards at the end of the season," he concluded.
Prime Volleyball League Season 3 can be watched live on the Sony Sports Network.
This interview was filed with inputs from Meeth Agrawal.